Sunday, February 19, 2006

SABOTAGE AND ATTACKS ON IRAQ OIL INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS BILLIONS EACH YEAR

Key Iraqi oil infrastructure has been sabotaged hundreds of times since the start of the March, 2003 US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq, leading to losses of more than $US6 billion in 2005 alone.

During 2005, there were some 180 attacks on Iraqi oil installations.

Insurgents have killed 47 oil engineers, workers and technicians.

More than 100 police have been killed during security details to protect pipelines and facilities.

From the Gulf Daily News : "Most of the sabotage took place in the northern oil installations, preventing Iraq from exporting around 400,000 barrels a day from its northern oil fields via the Turkish port of "Ceyhan.

Iraq is currently producing around 2m barrels per day from its southern and northern oil fields, down by about 800,000 barrels compared with levels before the 2003 US-led invasion.

Iraq's crude oil exports - almost all of which are now from the south - run at around 1.4m barrels per day, also about 800,000 down compared with prewar levels."